Friday, December 9, 2016

Vallone accused of pay-to-play

Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) has been accused of doing a series of favors for campaign donors by his 2017 primary opponent, land use expert Paul Graziano.

“A council member is supposed to represent the interests and well-being of the residents and constituents of the Council District — all 160,000 of them,” Graziano said in an emailed statement after focusing on the allegations during a sitdown interview with the Chronicle. “Unfortunately, Paul Vallone has seemed to only be representing the interests of a selected group of his ‘clients’ since his election to City Council in 2013.”

Vallone declined repeated requests for comment on the allegations beyond a statement his office issued about one of the claims and none of the donors could be reached for comment.

In one case, the planning consultant said, Vallone opposed the extension of the Douglas Manor Historic District because of donations he received from a resident of the proposed area who is against it.
Frank White opposed the extension and gave $500 donations to Vallone each year for the past three years.

In a letter to Landmarks Preservation Commission Chairwoman Meekahshi Srinivasan, the councilman says that “landmark status imposes undue restrictions on the rights of homeowners to renovate, modify, or sell their properties as they wish.” He also notes that 12 of the 17 households in the area proposed for the expansion opposed it, and Community Board 11 had rejected it.

Graziano criticized Vallone’s remarks about landmarking in the letter to the commission chairwoman.

“If it were that case, why are so many neighborhoods desperate to be landmarked?” the planning consultant said, mentioning Broadway-Flushing as an example. “Because they want to protect their neighborhood from being destroyed by terrible development.”

Vallone did support two smaller landmarkings in his district that were opposed by the people who own the affected buildings, the Hawthorne Court Apartments and the Ahles House, both in Bayside. There is no record of either owner making any donation to Vallone.

“He voted for both with absolute owner opposition,” Graziano said.

In another area controversy, Vallone was initially supportive of the proposed high school at the Bayside Jewish Center site, which Graziano says is because last year he received a $250 donation — the maximum for people who do business with the city — from Stephen Aiello, the husband of School Construction Authority head Lorraine Grillo, and a $300 donation from Christine Colligan, the JHS 189 parent coordinator, who supported the project and spoke in favor of it at a Community Board 11 meeting.

Let me understand The guy that had a huge developers lobby pay $200,000 plus for ads when he ran is now carrying favor to those donating a pittance of $250-$500?Graziano is a great guy who might make a great councilman. But if this is the kind of far reaching mud he is slingin? And for the paper to run with it? Please. Didnt president elect bash false media enough?

Look what the Vallones have done for Astoria. One tour guide who gives tours around the city is telling her colleagues that people on her tours of Old Astoria are calling it the most depressing community in the city.

"The guy that had a huge developers lobby pay $200,000 plus for ads when he ran is now carrying favor to those donating a pittance of $250-$500?"

There's something that you're not understanding: when you run for City Council in NYC, if you take the public matching funds - which is about $100,000 max - you can only spend $180,000. So, basically if you max out on public matching funds, you can raise about $80,000 from individuals.

The most you can get in contributions from an individual in any election cycle is $2,750. As a candidate you can contribute three times that amount to yourself, or $8,250.

Every contribution that you get from someone living in NYC up to $175 is matched with public funds 6 to 1. $100 gets you $600, $175 gets you $1,050.

Steve Chon donated almost the maximum amount - $2,500 - to Vallone right before he tried to get a zoning change with Vallone's support to build his giant commercial buildings at the Reception House. No matching funds will be given because he lives out in Glen Head, Long Island.

Stephen Aiello, the husband of Lorraine Grillo - head of the Schools Construction Authority - gave $250, the maximum allowed by a lobbyist or someone with business in front of the city. This contribution is also not eligible for public matching funds.

Christine Colligan, who supported building the HS at the Bayside Jewish Center site, donated $300, $175 of which was matched by public funds. So the $300 donation was actually a $1,350 donation.

Same for Frank White, the main opponent in the Douglaston HD Extension, who gave him three contributions totaling $1,500. With public matching funds, that donation is $2,550.

Vallone is a developer's dream. I'm sure there were more favors asked for by his donors...it looks like these are the ones that Graziano actually uncovered.

Wait, what? This paper ran a story about how Lorraine grillos husband gave 250 bucks and that's why vallone was going against the community? Goodness gracious the Queens chronicle is one of the biggest embarrassments for a paper I've ever seen. No elected is going to put his career and family's career in this case on the line for a couple hundred dollars... Graziano grasping at anything here

Anonymous Ron in Flushing said...Graziano will get rejected for a 3rd time on the ballot. It's that simple, his allegations have no creedence and Vallone has county and union support

Wait, what? This paper ran a story about how Lorraine grillos husband gave 250 bucks and that's why vallone was going against the community? Goodness gracious the Queens chronicle is one of the biggest embarrassments for a paper I've ever seen. No elected is going to put his career and family's career in this case on the line for a couple hundred dollars... Graziano grasping at anything here

Well well - looks like the County trolls have reared their butt-ugly heads. That's right: defend Vallone and pretend there's nothing wrong. Good luck with that. He's a creep and doesn't give a shit about his district. Everyone knows it.

"Graziano will get rejected for a 3rd time on the ballot. It's that simple, his allegations have no creedence and Vallone has county and union support"

Well since you know everything, give us 6 lotto numbers genius.They said a lot of things about Trump being a joke..guess what the joke is on him. Vallone needs to be rejected the 1st time and we are done.

The Vallone political dynasty has been enriching themselves , while selling out their own districts, for decades.Is it proof you want? Walk through Astoria, their old political stronghold. Bingo!

Do you want the overbuilt Astorization of northeast Queens? Then, by all means, vote for Vallone. If not, do not!

What has Paul Vallone offered his district, in terms of preserving its quality of life, besides a July 4th fireworks dog and pony show?Like an imperious Roman Caesar he offers bread and circuses to keep the plebeians happy and distracted.His district office runs like a disaster. Vallone is perpetually "out to lunch", except when one of his many developer clients calls.They are on his speed dial list.

He has offered a few weak bogus bills...that would make a Wild West bar tender ,who waters down his red eye booze, seem honest. Vallone-y baloney is in it strictly for himself, not his constituents.He views them as indentured workers toiling for his advancement.

Cast your votes wisely. Dump this spoiled entitled incumbent, who often struts into a civic meetings, like he is stepping onto his yacht.

Didn't Vallone support a Gambino family friend's expansion of a Whitestone restaurant into a huge catering facility while Vallone served on CB7? Nice piece of work...a political mobster supports the friend of real mobsters.Dump Don Vallone!

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